~ a sometimes intrepid exploration of a virtual world

“I Lost Track………” at the SVVR Conference and Expo

My human let me attend one and a half of the Silicon Valley Virtual Reality Conference and Expo sessions that were streamed live at the LEA Theatre in Second Life. At the session on Monday, I crashed half way during Philip Rosedale’s keynote speech and didn’t return. On Tuesday, I got to see and hear most of the panel discussion; there were some audio and streaming video problems. For being on my older laptop that barely runs SL (because that one has working audio), using wireless and on a day when SL was giving most people a rough time, it went rather well. And I got something out of it.

Now if you want to read an articulately opinionated, reportishly factual record, this isn’t it. There were at least four well-known bloggers in attendance and I’m sure there are videos on the web for people who care. I just thought it was cool to be in virtual reality at a virtual reality conference in real life.

The part my human liked best was when a guy at the panel discussion talked something about kinetics and crafting and virtual reality. She loves using her hands, working with fabric, beads, food, art supplies and such. Recently she observed a 3D printer making small sculptures out of colored synthetic materials. It’s great that some folks are working on this stuff.

In the above photo is Ebbe Altberg, CEO of Linden Labs.

Of some concern is the gender imbalance in this realm. Of the 35 speakers and panelists, only one was a woman. My human initially didn’t want me to attend because she feared it would just be a bunch of tech guys with money going blah blah blah.

Will these advances in virtual reality be accessible to most who want it? Will there still be a place for people with disabilities and for those with little disposable income? The topic of disabled people came up briefly at the very end and the panelists looked uncomfortable. That was possibly because they were out of time and wanted to go get a drink or something.

Identity and privacy were discussed and the ToS mentioned among other things. Including flying penises.

Philip Rosedale, who was long gone from SL long before I rezzed, is in the above photo. Watching the panel discussion was more tolerable because of a few amusing comments in local chat regarding his western shirt and bedhead. And whether Draxtor, shown below, needs a haircut.